The Roaring Flame
by Babetteisawesome
Summary: Lumiere and Babette are happily in love, but Babette isn't sure if Lumiere's commitment is true. Then, a woman from her lover's past shows up, and she's instantly jealous. This is a tale of love, jealousy, fears, revealed secrets, foolish misunderstanding, and unexpected complications...the average thing for any couple.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello everyone! This cute/ dramatic/sexy Lumiere & Babette story came to me when I was a little board in History class. We're actually doing that time period at the moment.**

** K+ rated, because of certain suggestions of certain hot stuff. **

…...

_Chapter 1 _

Babette ran the brush through her short dark tresses, smiling at her reflection as she did so. It was the night of her and Lumiere's anniversary, which was something she had been looking forward to all week. Her lover always spoiled her with a private dinner (cooked by him, of course), or a carriage ride, or something equally as romantic.

The maid giggled slightly, involuntarily flashing a wolf grin as she thought of the other _certain things_ he did to spoil her. Lumiere was a passionate, caring lover, which she found perfect...and he never objected to her, ahem, returning the favour.

All of a sudden, the chambermaid heard a knock at her door. Standing, Babette placed the brush on the vanity, and inquired "Oui?"

The voice of her beloved came from the other side "It is just me, cheri. May I come in?" he asked politely. His tone, she quickly realised, was laced with mischief. This caused her anticipation and impatience to grow immensely, as it always did.

The maid opened the door, and a fervent kiss was instantly pressed to her lips. She smirked, knowing full well who it was, and wasted no time in pulling Lumiere inside, by his cravat. She whispered between kisses "Joyeux anniversair mon cher."

The Frenchman was the first to break their kiss "Joyeux anniversair, ma cheri" he gasped.

Babette smiled "Merci. Joyeux anniversair mon cher" she replied, then placed a sweet, teasing kiss on his cheek.

Lumiere, however, stopped her with a simple hand on her back. She pulled away from his cheek, a puzzled look about her "What is wrong?" she inquired. Her mind swam "_I hope I have not done anything wrong. Was I too forward? Does he want to take things slowly?_"

The maitre'd, however, simply grinned charmingly and answered "I am afraid you are going to have to wait to indulge in our passions, ma cheri, for that is not all that I have planned tonight."

Babette's mood brightened at the news "What else _have_ you planned?" she asked, as if she were a small child anxiously awaiting a Christmas present.

Her suitor simply took her hand, and led her out of the bedroom.

He rounded the corner, his love in tow, and then stopped. Turning to her, Lumiere whispered "Wait here s'il vous pliat. I will be right back" and then he disappeared around the next corner.

Cogsworth stood there, looking board and uneasy. Lumiere asked in a hushed voice "Is the carriage ready?"

The butler replied, his voice lowered also "No. There was a small issue, and the horses refused to cooperate."

The tall Frenchman sighed heavily "Very well. I will break the news to Babette. Merci beacucoup mon ami" he answered, before disappearing again.

He took Babette's hand, and she inquired "Is something the matter?"

"Our plans for the evening have been changed, mon cheri" Lumiere answered.

The maid seemed dejected momentarily, but, once again, her mood brightened. She grinned seductively "Well, I am sure that we can find another way to amuse ourselves" she purred in a sultry tone.

The Frenchman chuckled somewhat deviously "Mmm, how lovely" he answered huskily. Their lips locked in a passionate, heated kiss, and his hands began to explore on their own accord. The young man ran his hands over the familiar curves, making creases on her dress, while she ran her hands up his chest and down his sides.

Babette broke the kiss softly and slowly, her breathing already laboured and her voice huskier "This is probably a better way to spend our anniversary" she said. Her suitor chuckled and kissed her again, practically melting as the feeling of her tongue grazed his.

All of a sudden, the slightly disgusted and slightly angry voice of Cogsworth came from beside them "Really, can't the both of you at least do that in a room!? There is no need for anyone to see that!"

Lumiere broke the kiss and looked at him "Mon ami, you really have the worst timing. Also, for your information, we were about to go to my lovely Babette's room" he said, annoyed.

Cogsworth rolled his eyes "Fine. Just go" he responded, walking away.

The miatre'd chuckled, turning back to his lover "To think I almost forgot about our anniversary" he whispered. He tried to kiss her again, but she crossed her arms in front of her, stopping him.

Before he could question why, she raised an eyebrow "You almost forgot?" she repeated.

The tall man rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed "Oui. I…had so much on my mind that…" he gave a short, nervous laugh "I nearly forgot about tonight" he replied.

Babette rolled her eyes and sighed "Lumiere! I cannot believe you! This is so typical!" she said.

The maitre'd answered, trying to calm her down "I almost f-forgot about it. But then I did not, and I organised the carriage ride, but something happened, and…we were, well…"

She interrupted fervently "Exactly, we_ were_ doing that. However, I am very much not in the mood anymore. Bon nuit."

Lumiere started "Babette, s'il vus plait…"

However, she was not listening. In fact, the maid had already walked away to her room.

...

**Oh no, what have you done now Lumiere?! **

**I'm sorry if this chapter was a bit too 'hot' for you all, but for some reason, I just ended up writing that. Don't worry though, this will be the only particularly 'hot' chapter. Please wait patiently for the next one, because I have a French assignment due and I have to focus on that. **

**I'll see you all soon, **

**-Babetteisawesome**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks so much to batbinmyheart91 and ConformityisNonsense for the first ever reviews of this story! You guys rock! Although, I actually like anyone who supports Lumiere and Babette as a couple…they're meant to be! **

**Please enjoy! **

…

_Chapter 2_

The next day, Cogsworth and Lumiere were in the library, conversing about the events of the previous night. Cogsworth's eyes, which held a furious fire, bore into his friends own "So, after that scandalous display in the hall, you told her that you forgot about the anniversary, and she stormed off" he said.

"I_ almost_ forgot about it" corrected Lumiere, who was seated on the lounge.

The butler sighed "Fine. What I'm saying is you need to be more careful. Trust can be broken as easily as it is given" he responded.

His friend gave a heavy sigh of his own and relaxed on the lounge "Mon ami, I understand perfectly…" he then sat up, real meaning in his words, and added "The last thing I want to do is hurt Babette in any way." The Frenchman grinned as he then asked "Cogsworth, are you saying all this because you do not want to see us apart?"

He snorted "Of course not…" he straightened his jacket "I just don't want to have a girl with a broken heart running around the castle, refusing to do her duties" he answered, although anyone could tell that he was lying.

Lumiere, however, chose not to press the matter. Instead, the maitre'd simply stood, and excused himself politely, saying "I must go to Babette and apologise for my mistake. She will be in the ballroom, so…"

Cogsworth waved a hand dismissively "Just get out" he said. Once again, the taller man grinned, and left the room, silently thanking him.

Babette, meanwhile, was indeed in the ballroom, with the other maids. A friend of hers, the castle decorator, Angelique, was very supportive "Do not worry about Lumiere, ma cheri, for he forgets things all the time. When we were courting, he would always forgot things…" she giggled "In fact, this one time, when we were still under the spell, and it was our anniversary, he forgot, but practiced with Belle, and I got so jealous that…"

But, the older woman had stopped listening, and just rolled her eyes. Angelique meant well, but she was slightly self-centred, and always managed to slip in the fact that _she_ had courted Lumiere once, into any conversation. Which was why, as he and a few other people had told her, the miatre'd had left the much younger woman.

Then, one of the other, older maids, Fifi, put a comforting hand on her shoulder "It is alright Babette, he probably didn't mean it. Lumiere's a good man…"

"A _great_, charming man" interrupted Angelique.

Fifi, after giving Angelique a minor glare, continued to her friend "Like I was saying, he did not mean it. Oui, he has a…reputation with women, but he has always been faithful."

Babette sighed, defeated "Perhaps you are right mon ami" she answered. Then, she thought to herself "_Lumiere would never leave me for another woman…would he?_"

The voice of the man himself brought her from her thoughts "Ma cheri, there you are!"

She turned to her, placing her hands on her hips "What do you want now, Lumiere?" she snapped.

He answered "I…wanted to apologise for forgetting our anniversary. It was foolish."

Babette rolled her eyes and sighed "Well, it took you long enough" she remarked.

Lumiere came closer, and gathered her hands in his, which she allowed. But, she still did not meet his gaze. Her suitor sighed "Ma cheri, you know that I have a lot to think about lately, with Belle's coronation, and Prince Adam's uncle coming to visit later today" he said.

When she finally did look at him, the maid nodded "I see. Pardon moi, but I thought that, even with all of that for you to think about, you could at least remember our anniversary" she responded.

"All I did was forget the date! I had the carriage ride al prepared, as well as the present I was going to give you, but I simply forgot the date. However, I remembered that night, so all is well" answered Lumiere.

She sighed, and the smallest of smiles twitched at her mouth "I understand. You have had a lot going on. No one is perfect" she answered.

Lumiere blinked a few times. This woman, he realised, would never cease to surprise him with her moods. One moment, she was ready to leave him, and the next, she was kissing him and practically dragging him to her room.

The Frenchman smiled "I am so glad you understand" he said.

The maid smiled a full smile "How could I not?" she asked rhetorically.

It was late that evening when the carriage Prince Adam's uncle Richard, arrived at the castle. A strong looking, tall man with a small moustache, and long red hair stepped from the carriage, and tapped his foot "Mia!" he barked. He tapped his wooden cane (with a golden head) on the ground in impatience. His dashing suit was slightly damp because of the light downpour of rain, which he certainly did not like.

A breathtakingly beautiful young woman stepped from the carriage meekly "Yes Master?" she inquired. Her long, golden blonde hair was tied back in a loose ponytail, showing her large green eyes, which were complemented by her pale skin and almost angelic face. She was dressed plainly, although it was the uniform of a high ranking servant.

Richard raised an eyebrow "Could you move any slower, girl!? Come on you hopeless little wrench, we have to get inside" he snapped. Mia nodded in cowardice, although it was faked. She, in truth, was not afraid of her Master at all. But, she knew that she had to appear that way.

Richard snorted at her, and made his way to the castle doors. Mia trailed behind him, still congratulating herself on being able to convince her Master to come and see his nephew Adam. It was not out of concern for the young Prince…but for her own reasons. There was someone there that she needed to settle something with, and she would get her way by any means necessary.

As she followed her Master inside, Mia could not suppress the small, sly smile that formed on her lips.

…

**What's she up to? **

**Just in case you're wondering, this story is going to have some very small, barely noticeable similarities to Shakespeare's "Othello." Don't worry though, it won't end the same way at all. Can you guess who my Iago is? **

**I'll see you all soon, **

**- Babetteisawesome. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks again to ConformityisNonsense and batbinmyheart91, for their amazing reviews and feedback! **

**Enjoy! **

…

_Chapter 3_

Mia gave second-long, timid glances at all who she passed, only searching for one person in particular. She walked with an obvious lack of confidence, which was once again, the effect that she put to others to maintain her appearance as a shy, harmless chambermaid.

One of the female servants whispered to another "Isn't that King Richard's servant? Poor girl, she seems so frightened."

The other whispered back "I heard she knows someone here."

"Who?" asked her friend in impatience.

Mia refused to listen to any more of their conversation. She knew who she had come to see. It was not necessary for some gossiping scullery maids to remind her. The young woman continued to walk behind her Master, until they came to the library.

Richard turned to her sharply "What do you think you're doing!? You cannot come in here. This is a meeting between me, my nephew, and his wife. God, remember your place girl!" he snapped.

His servant nodded, averting her eyes "Yes Master, I will try to occupy myself while you're in there" she answered humbly.

Richard nodded "Good" he said, and walked inside, closing the door behind her.

Mia, after hearing the muffled "Adam, Belle, what a pleasure to see you again", from her Master, knew that he would not bother her. The chambermaid walked back down the hall, still appearing shy as she did so.

After a short while of searching…she finally saw him. He was as handsome as she remembered. But then, her gaze moved to the other person she saw with him, and she gasped. Anger boiled inside her "_Who is that!? That…that little chambermaid whore!_" she thought. A young, beautiful woman, dressed in a maid's uniform, was pressed against him, her arms around his neck.

Mia growled in annoyance, but then closed her eyes, taking two deep breaths. She had to stay calm. The young woman walked over to them, a polite smile on her face "Lumiere?! Oh my goodness!" she called, faking surprise.

The Frenchman turned at the sound of his name, and swallowed hard "M-Mia?" he stuttered.

She nodded "My Master is here to see Prince Adam, remember?" she asked rhetorically.

Babette crossed her arms and looked at her lover "Mon cher, who is this?" she inquired.

Lumiere answered "Cheri, this is Mia. She is…an old flame of mine."

Mia tried not to look offended by that. She hated being addressed as an 'old flame' (although that was really all she was). She forced a smile, and turned to Babette "Who are you?" she inquired, trying her hardest not to glare or look angry.

"Bonjur mademoiselle. I am Babette, one of the chambermaids" she answered.

Mia nodded "It was very nice meeting you" she replied. Then, she turned towards Lumiere and batted her eyes "It was very nice to see _you_ again Lumi" and then she walked back, and around the corner.

Babette turned to him, arms still crossed "Lumi?!" she repeated.

Her suitor responded "Mon amour, I swear, she is just an old flame, nothing more."

The young woman nodded, although she did not truly believe him. She sighed "_I saw how jealous Mia was of me. She is clearly not an old flame_" she thought. Babette knew that, with jealousy, even an 'old flame' could become a roaring flame. All that the young maid could do, was hope that no one would be burned as a consequence.


	4. Chapter 4

**Thanks so much once again to ConformityisNonsense and batbinmyheart91, for their amazing reviews and feedback! **

**Now, this chapter has one small similarity to "Othello". Blame my English teacher for giving us the Shakespeare assessment. **

**Enjoy! **

….

_Chapter 4_

Lumiere hurried towards Babette's room later that day, a small box clasped in his hand. He had promised her a gift, and he had not had a chance to give to her. The Frenchman sighed "_This will also be a good opportunity for us to forget about Mia_" he thought.

The maitre'd quickly arrived outside her room, and took a deep breath, before knocking. The voice of his love came from the other side "You may enter" she said. He could not help but notice the slight frustration in her tone, but pushed that aside, and entered.

Babette whirled around, and smiled "Mon cher! What a surprise" she said.

Her suitor revealed the box that he had concealed and handed it to her "I trust that _this_ surprise will be even more pleasant" he answered with a charming grin.

Upon opening the box, the chambermaid gasped in delight. Inside, was a beautiful necklace fit for a princess. Picking it up with care, Babette held it to the candlelight, feeling the cold jewels against her fingers "Oh Lumiere" she said breathlessly.

The Frenchman moved behind her, and softly brushed a few dark tresses from her neck. Gently and slowly, he took the necklace from her hands, and draped it around her neck, sealing it at the back so it would not come off until she wanted it to. The maitre'd slipped his arms around her waist, and whispered close to her ear "This, ma cheri, is a symbol of my love. However, the appearance of your necklace does not compare in the slightest to your everlasting beauty."

"Oh Lumiere" Babette repeated, finding no other words. After a moment of silence, she inquired "Where did you find this?" From her past experience with men, she almost expected for him to say that he stole it, or found it on the street.

However, her suitor replied "I bought it. Lucian was selling some of the things he bought a long time ago but never had any use for. So, I bought it off him. Apparently, it used to belong to French princess."

All of a sudden, Mia's voice came from outside the room "Babette, are you in there? Cogsworth says that you have to finish your duties" she said sweetly.

The chambermaid sighed "Very well…" she gritted her teeth and added "Merci mademoiselle."

Lumiere inquired "Is something wrong?"

"I do not trust Mia. Not at all" answered Babette.

The maitre'd slowly slid his hands away from her waist "Well, it does not matter if you trust _her_ or not, but you have to listen to Cogsworth. Otherwise, he will surely throw a fit" he responded.

The young woman giggled, but then turned to him and asked "So you are defending Mia?"

He raised his hands "No, cheri, no. I was simply trying to make a point" he replied. Babette nodded, but said nothing. She was still suspicious of Mia, and Lumiere seemed not to see the reason for her qualms.

Once she was out of her room, Babette found Cogsworth and said, rather annoyed "Alright, I am here."

The butler snorted "It's about time" he answered.

Mia, who had just come up to them, turned to the chambermaid "Babette, shouldn't you take that necklace off? You don't want it getting lost" she said.

The young woman nodded slowly "Oui…I suppose you are right" she answered. She unfastened the necklace, and carefully held it in her hand.

The blonde beside her, offered "I'll take it to Lumiere if you want. That way, he can look after it." Reluctantly, Babette handed her the necklace, but gave her a look that screamed '_if you even think about doing anything with that, I _will_ hurt you_'. Mia thanked her with a smile, and walked away.

Once she was sure that no one could see her, Mia let her smile turn sly. That woman, Babette, was untrusting…of her. But, she could use that to her advantage "_It will make it that much easier to get her to leave Lumiere. I just need to make it look like I was not the one involved. Which is going to be difficult with her_" she mused. However, Mia knew that she could do it. After all, she was a manipulator. She always sat back, pulled the strings, and watched the chaos unfold, while playing only a minor role herself. It would be no different with Babette and Lumiere.

Late that night, Lumiere was out on the balcony, enjoying the fresh air. He was deep in thought when, all of a sudden, he heard Mia's panicked voice behind him "Lumiere! Lumiere!" she called frantically.

He turned around, and saw her running towards him…with Babette's necklace in her hand "_How did she get that_?" he wondered.

The chambermaid stopped once she was beside him "Lumiere…I found this…on the floor…in the ballroom. Babette must have dropped it by accident. Is it broken?" she asked.

The Frenchman thanked her, and then gently took the necklace from her fingers. He studied it carefully.

Meanwhile, Babette was just walking around the corner, but stopped dead in her tracks at the sight in front of her. Mia and Lumiere were on the balcony…and Lumiere had her necklace. At first, the maid thought that Mia had only just returned it, but then she watched the scene unfold.

She saw Lumiere look at Mia, and say "It is fine."

The petite woman smiled "Thanks so much. I really do love this."

What she did not hear, was Mia as she inquired "Could…could I wear it? Please, just for a minute? I want to see what it feels like."

All Babette saw was Lumiere nod, and then he did something that both shocked and angered her. He put the necklace around Mia's neck, and fastened it at the back! Babette clenched her fists. That was _her _necklace! Hers! She did not want to see the rest of it. She felt the tears flowing from her eyes, and bit her lip to stifle her wails as she cried.

Lumiere then turned around, and a look of concern crossed his face "_Why is Babette crying_?" he thought. He called out her name, but she did not respond. Instead, he whatched helplessly as the young maid ran up to her room, sobbing even harder.

Mia looked at Lumiere and faked concern and shock "Oh no, I hope she's alright? What happened?" she asked.

The Frenchman replied, not taking his eyes from where Babette had been "I do not know. But I am going to find out." Without another word, he ran after her.

Mia stayed on the balcony, and looked out onto the kingdom. She chuckled darkly before going back inside the castle, softly closing the balcony doors behind her.

…

**I HATE you Mia! What have you done!? Oh, wait, I know what you've done, I created you. **

**Don't worry guys. THIS STORY WILL NOT HAVE A SAD ENDING! I CANNOT AND WILL NEVER WITE STUFF THAT ENDS SAD IN ANY WAY! **

**Review please guys!**

**I'll see you all soon, **

**- Babetteisawesome. **


	5. Chapter 5

**Here is the next chapter everyone! **

**Thanks so much to batbinmyheart91 again for the wonderful review! **

…...

_Chapter 5_

Babette had just reached her room, when Lumiere's voice came from behind her "Babette! Cheri, what is wrong?" he inquired.

Quickly, the chambermaid wiped the tears from her face and whipped around to him. An angry, burning fire surged within her, and venom coated each syllable as she practically screamed "You _womanizer_! How_ could_ you!"

Lumiere, although now somewhat frightened by her manner, attempted to remain calm. He inquired, confused "Cheri, what are you talking about?"

Instead of answering, Babete gripped his cravat tightly, and dragged him into her room. She released him and slammed the door shut, before turning back to him. The maid took a step forward "I _saw_ you, Lumiere. I saw you give _my _necklace to…to that little blonde _whore_!" she snarled, her tone unchanged from how it was before.

The Frenchman held up his hands calmly and spoke gently, as if trying to sooth an animal "Babette, cheri…" he started.

"Do not call me that!" she spat.

He nodded, and continued "It was not what it looked like, je vous assure."

Babette, however, did not listen. Instead, she slapped his cheek as hard as she could, causing him to stumble back. As he touched his bruised cheek, the young woman snarled "Je vous deteste."

Lumiere gasped, and replied slowly "You…you do not mean that."

"Believe me, I do" answered Babette.

The tall man attempted to calm her down "Ma douce un…" However, he was able to complete his sentence. Instead, he dodged Babette's hairbrush that had been flung at him. It collided with the wall with a 'bang', and fell to the ground.

The chambermaid then picked up the white cotton gloves that he had made her himself. He had stayed up countless nights to make them, and had given them to the young woman on her most recent, 27th, birthday. Babette clutched them in her right hand without taking her eyes from Lumiere "Oh, and you can have these back!" she snapped.

The older man wasn't fast enough to prevent the cotton gloves from hitting his face, but caught them in his hand afterwards. He was certainly a patient man, but Babette was beginning to annoy him. Why would she refuse to listen? He understood perfectly why she was angry, and her moods usually went from one extreme to the other, but her current mood was getting a little ridiculous. She had _never_ thrown things before.

He took a step forward "Babette, s'il vous plait, if you would just listen…"

She shook her head "No! You are not going to trick me so easily this time!" she interrupted heatedly.

"What do you mean, trick you?" asked Lumiere. Babette turned to him, but then suddenly hissed in pain, grabbing her stomach. She put one hand on the wall beside her, to support herself. Her suitor walked over in worry "Babette?" he asked, and reached for her.

However, she snapped her head up "Do not touch me" she hissed. Soon after, the pain disappeared, and she glared at Lumiere.

He braced himself for more anger, or having something else thrown at him…but that did not happen. He mused "_I wonder what she is going to do now_?"

Instead, to his shock, she started tearing up "Why?! Why Lumiere!? Was I not good enough for you!?" she demanded.

Lumiere stuttered slightly in reply "B-Babette, s'il vous plaite, if you would just listen to me, I could explain everything."

"Not a chance" she replied, still sobbing slightly. Then, she opened the door "Get out Lumiere. I…I do not want to get in the way of…of you and M-Mia" she sobbed. The true meaning of her words was clearly suggested, although Babette added to make sure it was clear "You wanted Mia? Then congratulations, you can have her, not me. This is the last time you will be my suitor."

Lumiere gasped, and pleaded, almost coming to tears himself "Babette, do not do that. S'il vous pliat, I do not want to lose you."

She wiped the tears from her eyes "You should have thought of that before you gave _my_ necklace to Mia" she replied.

The Frenchman sighed. He knew that he should not pressure her any further. So, he simply walked out the door, and did not make eye contact as he murmured "Bon nuit mademoiselle" and shut the door softly behind him.

Mia stood outside, and inquired, once again faking concern "If everything alright?" In truth, she had heard everything that had occurred between the couple.

Lumiere replied forlornly "No. Everything is not alright. Babette…" he sobbed quietly "Babette…left me."

Mia contained her smile, looking saddened as she asked "Do you think she will want this back?" and pointed to the necklace.

The Frenchman looked at her "She probably will" he answered, and took it from around Mia's neck. He did not bother knocking on Babette's door, but he simply opened it, and placed the necklace in her palm.

The young woman looked at him, momentarily stunned "Why are you giving this back to me? I thought you wanted _Mia_ to have it" she said, venom in her voice at the mention of the other woman's name.

"I…thought that you would want it" answered Lumiere. Sensing that it was his time to leave, the Frenchman excited the room, once again closing the door behind him.

Babette firmly and quickly closing her hand around the necklace "_I do not care about this_" she thought. With that thought, the maid thrust her arm to one side, roughly throwing the necklace onto her side table.

All of a sudden, the same feeling she had felt earlier, surged within her. She hissed in shock and pain, instinctively clutching her stomach. The young woman felt her knees buckle, and she slowly sat down on the bed. Babette groaned, and looked at her stomach "_What is wrong with me_?" she wondered.

All of a sudden, a vile, disgusting feeling formed in her throat. She swallowed hard, wincing and groaning at the horrible taste in her mouth, accompanied by the sick feeling in her stomach. Babette sighed "Perhaps all I need is some sleep. With the combination of my suspicions of Mia and Lumiere cheating on me…I need my sleep" she muttered. The more she said it, the better it sounded, so the young man crawled into her bed, and was soon fast asleep.

…...

**Oh no, what's wrong with her? **

**To those of you who have figured it out, or to those of you who will find out (soon, in the next few chapters), just so you know, I'm not sure if all the symptoms happen this quickly, one after the other. I've never been like that, so I'm not sure…I just got the information from Google. **

**Until next time, **

**- Babetteisawesome. **


	6. Chapter 6

**Here is the next chapter everyone! **

**Thanks yet again to batbinmyheart91 and ConformityisNonsense, for the wonderful reviews! I finally saw batbinmyheart91's profile picture…it's obvious that we have another Lumiere/Babette supporter. ConformityisNonsense's profile picture is really cute too. I really like Tiana. **

**P.S: This chapter will have some Lumiere/Babette in it, since I have not supplied this story with enough. **…

_Chapter 6_

Babette slowly opened her eyes the next morning, and instantly felt fatigue overpower her. Her body seemed to refuse to move, and it ached slightly. She did not want to do anything but sleep, however she had not done anything.

Cogsworth's angry voice came from outside her room "Babette! For the fifth time young lady…get up!"

The young maid groaned "Cogsworth…" she felt her own anger build "SHUT UP! I AM REALLY TIRED!"

The butler did not respond for a short amount of time, but then said clumsily, clearly caught off guard by her mannerisms "Very well. You…just g-get some rest then. I will tell one of the other maids to fill in for your duties."

Once the chambermaid heard the sound of his footsteps disappear down the hall, she sighed in content "_Now…_" she thought "_I can finally get some sleep_."

Cogsworth walked down the hall, his mind in a whirl "What has gotten into Babette? She has never acted so strangely" he muttered. The butler saw Lumiere in the kitchens, observing his staff, and sighed "Now, let's see what Lumiere will do to me this morning" he muttered, walking over to him.

The butler cleared his throat "Good morning Lumiere" he said, and braced himself for the playful teasing that usually came afterwards.

The taller man looked at him "Bonjur mon ami" he replied forlornly.

His friend inquired, shocked "Is everything alright? You don't seem like yourself."

Lumiere asked, avoiding the question "How is Babette?"

Cogsworth replied "She just yelled at me for waking her up, and said she was very tired. So, I let her sleep."

The maitre'd grinned, and questioned, in mock surprise "Why Cogsworth, are_ you_ sure you are feeling alright? Such kindness is very out of character for you."

The butler rolled his eyes "Well, I'm glad to see you're feeling better" he answered.

Lumiere's expression grew serious, and he asked in a hushed tone, as not to alarm anyone who might overhear "What do you think is wrong with her?"

His friend answered, keeping his tone low also "Honestly, I have no idea. Babette has never acted this way before." Then, he inquired "Have you noticed anything different about her? You are her suitor."

The taller man swallowed hard and answered weakly "Not anymore, mon ami. She…she left me."

The Englishman's hard expression softened in sympathy "Oh, well, sorry for bringing that up. Really though, have…did…you notice anything out of the ordinary about her behaviour?" he asked.

The maitre'd replied "Well, I did notice that, yesterday, when we had that argument, Babette was changing emotions rapidly and they were the extreme of the emotion. She was throwing things at me one minute, and then crying harder then I have ever seen her, the next."

"Did anything else happen? Anything at all?" urged Cogsworth.

"Well, at one point in our argument, she suddenly hissed in pain, culched her stomach, and had to put one her hands on a wall to support herself. But very soon afterwards, strangely, she was fine" answered the Frenchman.

Mrs. Potts, who had involuntarily overhead the entire conversation, said with a small, knowing smile "I think I may know what's wrong with her."

Lumiere turned to her, the worry on his face lessening "Really, Madam? What is it?" he inquired.

The elderly lady answered "Oh, I'm not going to tell you just yet. First, I think I should go and talk to the girl."

"She is in her room" said Lumiere.

"Thank you dear" replied Mrs. Potts with a kind smile, and made her way to the young maid's room.

Babette lay in her bed, sleeping somewhat peacefully, until she was suddenly awoken by a knock at her door. She groaned "Go away" she snapped, thinking it was Cogsworth again.

Mrs. Potts's voice came from the other side of the door "It's me, dear, may I come in?" she inquired.

The chambermaid, while feeling guilty about having snapped at her, nodded and replied "Oui, Madam, you are always welcome."

The elderly lady walked in quickly, shutting the door behind her, and went to Babette's beside. She took her hand "Now, dear, tell me what the matter is. I heard that you haven't been yourself lately" she said in a gentle, motherly tone.

The young woman sighed "I…do not know what is wrong with me, Madam. Also…Lumiere and I…we…"

"I know, I overhead him say it to Cogsworth. The poor dear really is heartbroken" answered Mrs. Potts.

Babette crossed her arms, which she, surprisingly, found difficult to do "Well, he deserves everything he feels. He cheated on me…with Mia!" she replied heatedly.

Her friend patted her hand, trying to calm her down "There there, that's not what I'm here to talk about. What is the matter with you, dear?" she asked.

She replied hastily "I…I do not know." Mrs. Potts could tell that she was lying. However, the elderly lady decided not to press the matter, but to just let her be.

The chambermaid said nervously "Madam, could you leave, s'il vous plait?"

"Well, something tells me that Lumiere is going to be here soon, and thought that you wouldn't want to be alone with him after what happened" answered Mrs. Potts.

As if on cue, another knock came at the door, and the voice of the young man came from the other side of it "May I come in?" he asked.

Babette stared at the elderly lady beside her "How did you know?" she inquired.

She smiled "I know how much he adores you" she answered, and then opened the door, and walked out.

Lumiere looked at his love, lying on the bed, clearly in fatigue and slight confusion "Babette" he whispered, moving to her bedside. He knelt down, taking one of her hands in his "Cheri, I have been so worried about you" he said.

She replied, trying to remain defensive "Really? Because I thought that you did not care about _me_, only Mia."

The Frenchman sighed, and looked into her eyes, his own filled with adoration and concern "Babette, s'il vous pliat, believe me. Je t'aime de tout mon coeur, maintenant et toujours" he answered.

The young maid started to tear up slightly "Really Lumiere?" she asked softly.

He nodded "Most certainly" he replied.

Babette sighed "_I should tell him. He needs to know. More than anyone else_" she thought.

Lumiere looked at her "Cheri, what is the matter with you? I know that you did not tell Mrs. Potts, but, s'il vous pliat, tell me" he said gently.

She looked at him "How do you know I did not tell her?" she asked, avoiding answering his question.

He smiled "Because I know _you_" he replied.

Babette sighed "_Alright. It is time to tell him. Whether we are together again or not, is irrelevant, he just needs to know_" she thought. The chambermaid took a deep breath "Lumiere…" she started.

"Oui?" he asked, listening intently.

She squeezed his hand. She had been thinking about all of the things she had experienced, before she slept, and knew what was wrong with her.

The young woman looked into his eyes, bit her lip, and said "I…I am pregnant. I am pregnant with our child."

…

**Oh. My. God. **

**Look guys, I know that this is cliché, but I really couldn't think of anything else. Anyway, another cliché is going to follow this, just to give you a warning. Sorry for all the clichés. **

**Review everyone and tell me what you think! **

**Until next time, **

**- Babetteisawesome. **


	7. Chapter 7

**It's here! The next chapter!**

**Thank you so much to batbinmyheart91 and ConformityisNonsense, for their wordy, wondrous reviews! **

**As warned, this chapter contains a cliché. **

…

_Chapter 7_

Lumiere stared, wide eyed, at her "W-What?" he stuttered in disbelief.

"I am pregnant" repeated Babette.

The Frenchman squeezed her hand "_Mon Duie, I am going to be father_" he thought.

Obviously, that moment of hesitation was too long for his beloved. She started tearing up again "A-Are you not h-happy?" she asked. She blinked back further tears "_I knew it, all men are the same. As soon as they hear that their little passionate affairs have turned into the possibility of a child, they are no longer interested in the woman_" she thought.

Lumiere softly cupped her face in his hands "Oh, ma cheri, of course I am happy. The baby is a wonderful miracle…" he kissed her cheek affectionately "Correction, _our _baby."

Babette looked at him, smiling "Do…do you really mean that?" she asked.

He nodded "But of course" he answered gently.

All of a sudden, Mia burst through the door "Babette! I heard that you something wrong with you…are you alright?" she inquired, her anxiety faked. She had heard everything through the door (yes, she had been listening again), and knew_ exactly_ what was going on.

Lumiere turned to her, still keeping a grip on Babette's hand "She is fine Mia. Leave s'il vous plait" he said.

She heard the slight sternness in his tone, but did not pay attention to it. Instead, she walked over to him and batted her eyes "Is there any way I can help" she inquired innocently, with a slight seductive purr in her voice.

The Frenchman shook his head "No Mia. Now, once again, could you leave s'il vous plait?" he asked.

She could not contain the frustrated look on her face, but then took a deep breath to calm herself down "Fine" she answered. As she turned to leave, Mia could not help but notice the murderous glare that Babette gave her. However, the younger woman only smiled in obvious false pleasantness, and continued out the door, closing it behind her.

Once outside, Mia smiled slyly to herself "_This turned out better than I could have hoped. Not only are Lumiere and Babette apart, but she's pregnant_" she thought. She knew that pregnancy meant dismissal…it was perfect. All she had to do was spread word around the castle, and eventually Adam and Belle would check with Babette to see if the rumours were true. Once they did…they would have no choice but to dismiss her.

Later that day, Babette was doing her duties as normal, trying to ignore the pain in her stomach. It was a combination of her pregnancy…and worry "_I am an unwed mother. That is considered the highest disgrace, even for a servant_" she thought.

All of a sudden, two female servants, both chambermaids, passed her. One whispered harshly, deliberately making it so she could hear "Whore."

The other whispered in the same fashion "Shameless harlot."

Babette turned to face them, but they had already moved on. She immediately started panicking "How do they know? How did the news get out?" she muttered.

As if on cue, Mia's voice came from behind her "Hello Babette" she said, pretending to be friendly.

The young woman turned to her and gripped the library mantel to restrain herself "Bonjur Mia" she growled.

The blonde walked closer "What's the matter? Don't you like me?" she asked.

Babette took a step back "No, to be honest, not at all" she answered.

Then, as quickly as it took to blink, Mia's expression darkened. It was no longer friendly and innocent, but devious and sly. She smiled menacingly "Well, if _I'm _honest, I never liked_ you_ either" she sneered.

"I know it was you" continued Babette.

Mia felt nervousness build inside her, but did not dare let it show. Instead, she simply smiled "So what if it _was_ me? Lumiere wouldn't care. You think he loves you…you're wrong" she said.

The other woman's response faltered, but only for a second "How would you know?" she asked rhetorically.

The blonde continued as if she had not even spoken "So you really think he loves you? You saw how nervous he was when he found out you were pregnant! If fact, I even overhead him talk to himself to build up the courage to_ leave_ you, now that you're pregnant." She thought that it was best to play on Babette's weaknesses…and Lumiere's commitment was clearly one of them.

Babette swallowed "You…you do not mean that" she said, although she was unable to keep her voice from wavering.

"How do you _know _that?" questioned Mia, knowing she had won. Babette was probably one of her easiest targets, since she had already gotten the idea into her own head through fear, all Mia had to do was make sure it stuck.

The chambermaid sighed "Go away Mia" she snarled. The young woman did so, and left her to her own mind, knowing that what she had said would stick. A pregnant woman was very easy to believe any suggestion, no matter what it was. The older woman was her puppet, and Mia was the one pulling the strings.

_After completing her duties, Babette collapsed onto a chair and groaned "Why does this __have to be so difficult. Lumiere and I should just tell the Master and Mistress..." she shook her head "No! We cannot tell him, they will send me away, and Lumiere will surely be dismissed" she muttered to herself. _

_Suddenly, Cogsworth came running up to her. The butler was clearly out of breath "The...Master...wants...to...see you" he huffed. _

_ She gasped "__Oh Diue, no__" she thought. _

_The maid arrived at Adam and Belles room shortly after. She calmed herself down as much as she could, and walked inside. The prince and princess were sitting on the edge of their bed, and Belle gestured to the chair opposite her "Sit down please Babette" she said. The chambermaid did as she was told immediately, feeling more afraid than ever. _

_It seemed like hours before Adam spoke "Word has reached me that you are pregnant. Mia informed me as soon as she found out..." _

_Babette scoffed quietly "__Of course she did__" she thought. _

_The prince continued "Now Babette. I wish I didn't have to say this to you, but, as you know, it is expected that, when a servant is pregnant, it means dismissal. Now, usually this involves calling a midwife to look after you and, unfortunately, when you do have the child, if you wish to return to the castle, you must do so without your child…" _

_The chambermaid felt herself beginning to cry "No Master, s'il vous plaite, do not do this" she begged. _

_Belle smiled at her "It's alright, we're not going to. We don't have the heart to do that to you or Lumiere. You both will stay, and so will he or she when they're born" she said. _

_Babette smiled in disbelief "Merci beaucoup mes ami" she replied. Then, a look of confusion crossed her face, and she asked the prince "W-What about your uncle? Surely he will not approve of this." _

Adam replied, biting his lip "His opinion doesn't matter."

The chambermaid smiled at the royals, curtsied politely, and left the room. However, she was still unable to shake one thought "_Will staying here be worth it_?"

That night, Babette lay awake in her bed, gently petting her stomach. Mia's words were still on her mind, how Lumiere had been planning to leave her. The young woman's mood quickly turned to anger and resentment "_How dare he! How could he even think of leaving me, when I am in such a venerable time! He does not care about me_" she thought.

The young woman rose from her bed, and looked down at her stomach "Do not worry ma petite. Adam and Belle are probably reconsidering dismissing me anyway, and Lumiere…" she wiped her tears away "Lumiere does not even care what happens to me" she murmured. She sighed, and got up from the bed, and collected the few things that she had packed into a bag, earlier.

Carefully, Babette crept down the stairs, and through the hall. She put a hand on the doorknob, and, with a sigh, turned it, stepping outside and shutting the door behind her.

Fortunately, it was not the slightest bit cold that night. The chambermaid then proceeded out the gate, and immediately boarded the carriage that had been waiting for her. Turning to the coachman, she handed him some of the money from a smaller bag "Merci beaucoup monsieur" she said.

He looked at her over his shoulder "You're quite welcome miss. Now, where was it that you wanted to go?" he asked.

Babette sighed "_The one thing I have not figured out yet_" she thought. She considered her options "_It has to be somewhere that the baby will be welcome, and somewhere that I can stay for as long as I like, and somewhere that I know_" she mused.

That was when she thought of it.

It was the one place where she knew she would be welcomed. But it was also, ironically, the one place that she had once dreamed to get away from. Her employment there had been the one thing that was more disgraceful to a woman then being an unwed mother.

The maid took a deep breath, and told the coachman confidently "Take me to 'Le Desir Tentant', s'il vous pliat."

The coachman gasped "The dancehall?" he inquired in disbelief.

Babette ignored his shock, and replied "Oui, monsieur."


	8. Chapter 8

**Thanks so much to ConformityisNonsense, for the wonderful review.**

…

_Chapter 8_

Prince Adam paced around the library the next morning, his uncle standing beside him. Reports of Babette's disappearance had reached them, and Adam found it very confusing "Why would she leave? She must have had a good reason, she loves this place" he said.

Richard answered "Is the disappearance of one chambermaid of many really worth any fuss? You will just replace her."

Adam turned furiously to his uncle "No. I will not replace Babette, or anyone. It's time you understood, Uncle Richard, that I don't treat my servants so carelessly anymore. I have…learned from my mistakes."

There was a tense silence between them for a short time, until Mia suddenly opened the library door. She inquired respectfully "Excuse me Master, was I interrupting anything?"

Richard did not answer her question, but instead looked at Adam "Perhaps you could replace her with Mia. I am in no need of her services anymore, and you need another chambermaid" he said.

The young woman herself found it hard to fight the smile that threatened to appear on her mouth "_I hope Adam agrees. Oh, how joyous that would be. With Babette out of the way, I can take her place not only as a chambermaid here, but also as Lumiere's lover_" she thought.

Adam looked at his uncle, then at Mia, and then back to his uncle "No. I will not accept her until I am sure that Babette is not coming back" he said firmly.

Richard ran a hand through his hair "You always were so stubborn. Very well, if that's what you want, then it's fine by me" he answered. He dismissed Mia with a wave of his hand, and the young woman excited the room.

Once she had closed the door, the blonde turned to make her way back down the hall, and came face to face to Lumiere. She smiled pleasantly "Hello Lum…"

He held up a hand to stop her "Do not speak to me" he snarled.

"W-What's wrong? Why are you so angry?" questioned Mia nervously.

Lumiere raised an eyebrow "Could I speak to you alone Mia?" he asked, although it was clear that it was not a question.

The chambermaid followed him into the ballroom, where he turned to her sharply. The Frenchman's expression turned dark and angry "I know what you did. I know that you were the one who made Babette think she saw me give you the necklace as a betrayal to her, I know that you were the one who spread the news about Babette's pregnancy, that you were the one who told the prince and princess about it, and I know that you were the one who put the idea into her head that she should leave" he sneered.

Mia's kind expression vanished in milliseconds, and the dark, sly expression was in its place. She laughed bitterly "Well, it certainly took you long enough" she said.

Lumiere stepped forward, rising to his full height so he towered above her. His look was one of hatred, and Mia (who was admittedly terrified) could have sworn that she saw fire spark in his eyes. The maitre'd clenched his fists "You. Did. It. All" he hissed.

The blonde, despite her expression of confidence, took a few steps back. She raised an eyebrow "When did you figure it out?" she asked.

"As soon as I heard that monsieur Richard was planning on replacing Babette, with you. I knew you were a spiteful, but this is beyond what I ever thought you would do" snarled Lumiere.

Mia smiled menacingly "Babette was far too easy. She's too much in love with you to realise how naive she is" she said.

The Frenchman chucked, despite the situation "You have no idea about her. If you knew her as well as I do, then you would know that Babette is anything but naïve" he answered. Lumiere stepped closer threateningly "You, Mia, should never have come here. When Babette comes back, I will tell the prince and princess to lock you up immediately" he snarled.

Mia laughed forebodingly "Do you really think she's going to come back?" she questioned in disbelief.

Lumiere nodded "Oui. Because I am going to go and bring her home" he answered.

Meanwhile, Babette was in the kitchens of Le Desir Tentant, speaking with one of the showgirls. The dancehall was located in one of the largest villages in Paris, and was considered one of the most popular places for a gentleman to find pleasure.

The chambermaid sighed "I still cannot believe I am back, Emilie" she said. Emilie had been like Babette's own mother when she had been employed there, and now the two shared an unbreakable bond of friendship.

The older woman ran a hand through her long black hair, and reached for two crystal wine glasses, and the bottle of wine, on one of the shelves. She turned back towards her friend, and set them down. She spoke with a slightly thick French accent "The question is, why _are_ you back? No woman ever comes back here without a good reason" she said as she poured half a glass for each of them.

Babette smiled nervously "I…just wanted to see you" she lied.

Emilie looked at her and raised an eyebrow doubtfully "You forget who you are speaking to, mon ami. You cannot fool me" she said.

Her friend sighed "Alright, so that is not why I am here" she replied.

The older woman smiled "Forget about that for now. You must be so tried form your trip last night. It is a good thing I had only just finished my performance when you arrived, otherwise I would not have answered the door because I would have been sleeping…" she pushed one of the glasses towards her "How about you have a bit of wine? I only have a little bit, though. It might be considered good, but it is very sour" she offered.

Babette put up a hand "I do not think so, mon ami" she said.

Emilie inquired "Why?" Then, she laughed kindly and, attempting a joke, asked "Are you pregnant?" An awkward, tense silence followed, until she gasped "Oh mon Duie, you _are_ pregnant!" she whispered. Emilie immediately went closer to Babette, and her expression hardened, her protectiveness taking over "I will kill the basted" she snarled.

Her friend replied "I do not think that will be necessary."

"Who is he?" inquired the showgirl.

"He is…was…my lover. His name is Lumiere Francois, and he is the miatre'd of prince Adam and princess Belle. " answered Babette.

Emilie questioned "Did he leave you?"

She swallowed hard "No, but I have a feeling that he was planning to" she answered.

Sensing the discomfort, her friend changed the subject "What do you plan on doing while you are here?" she asked.

"Whatever Madame Andre' wishes me to do, just as it used to be" answered Babette.

The showgirl replied "Did you not here the news? The Madame passed away a few years ago…" she smiled "_I_ am in charge now."

Babette hugged her "Oh, that is wonderful…Madame Emilie" she teased.

She laughed kindly, and then said, imitating Madame Andre's cranky voice "Now, go up to your room and make yourself comfortable, and get some rest. I do not want you uncomfortable after such a long trip, understand?"

The younger woman laughed as well "Oui, Madame" she answered.

Once inside her hold room, Babette unpacked her bag and sat down on the bed. It was nothing lavish, like that of the castle, but it was good. Suddenly, she felt something in the pocket of her skirt.

Curious, the maid dug into her pocket, and pulled out what was inside it…her necklace. Babette held it carefully in her hands, and held back her tears "Oh Lumiere" she whispered. With that final thought, she closed her hands gently around the necklace, and draped it around her neck, fastening it at the back.


	9. Chapter 9

**A special thank you to ConformityisNonsense and batbinmyheart91, for their lovely, funny reviews! On fanfiction, I love nothing more than having people review me and saying that they like my stories. **

**Enjoy the next chapter everyone! **

…

_Chapter 9_

Babette was in her room very late that evening "Oh, what is wrong with me? I have never acted so helpless before…I have never _felt_ so helpless before" she muttered. She touched her necklace and whispered to no one in particular "I do not need him. He does not even love me, so he should be glad that I ran away."

"You _ran away_?!" questioned Emilie, in shock, as she walked into the room.

Her friend nodded "Oui, I did run away. Lumiere…he…he was planning to leave me because I was pregnant" she answered.

The showgirl immediately ran up to her, sitting beside her "Oh, ma petite, I am so sorry. If he ever comes here, I promise that I will tear him apart" she said.

Changing the subject, the chambermaid inquired "Do you think that I will be able to stay here without working? I do not want to be a showgirl again, and, when I get closer to my pregnancy, _any_ work I do might harm the baby."

Emilie nodded "Well, it will look rather suspicious if you are kept here and are not working. Instead of being a showgirl again, you could go back to being a serving maid" she offered.

Babette thought about it for a moment "_I might be going back to where I started, but Emilie is right, my staying here would look suspicious otherwise_." She smiled at her friend "Merci mon ami, I would like to do that, if it was possible" she answered.

Emilie smiled back "Of course mon cher ami. I control everything in this place now, so I can get you some work as a serving maid" she responded.

All of a sudden, a thought crossed Babette's mind "_What about when the baby is born? They will grow up in this place, and have to live the life I did. This place always felt like a cage to me…I do not want the same thing for my baby._"

Her friend, seemingly reading her mind, said "We will think about the baby when the time comes. For now, we must focus on keeping it healthy…which means keeping you out of too much activity."

The younger woman nodded "Oui. I will start work tonight" she said.

Emilie put a comforting hand on her shoulder "Oui, and you shall forget all about…him" she added.

Babette sighed "_If only it were that easy_" she thought.

Meanwhile, back at the castle, Lumiere was speaking to Cogsworth about his plan. The shorter man shook his head "This is madness! You don't even know where she went!" she objected.

The Frenchman replied "Oui, I do know where she went. She would have gone to 'Le Desir Tentant'."

The butler snorted "Why would she go to a place like that?!" he asked, horrified by the very idea.

"Because, it is the only place that she will be welcomed with certainty" answered Lumiere.

Cogsworth sighed "You expect me to accompany you to that house of…"

"Do not say it" his friend warned in a threatening tone.

The Englishman nodded, and continued "I will accompany you, but if anyone sees me there, I'll leave. _I_ would never be caught at the place like that."

Lumiere grinned "Merci beaucoup…" his expression turned serious as he added "We leave immediately."

Once the carriage stopped outside 'Le Desir Tentant', the two men got out. Cogsworth raised an eyebrow "Well Lumiere, lead the way to the entrance" he said.

"Why me?" asked his friend.

The butler replied "Because, I image that _you_ would have been here _many_ a time."

The maitre'd rolled his eyes, and knocked on the entrance door. Emilie opened the door, and, looking the two men up and down, said "I am terribly sorry monsieurs, but we do not open for another two hours."

Lumiere flashed his infamous charming grin "Mademoiselle, we are simply here to see someone. Allow me to introduce us. I am Lumiere, and this…" he pointed to the man opposite him "Is Cogsworth. We are servants of Prince Adam and Princess Belle, and we are here to see someone in particular. She ran away, and we need to bring her home" he explained.

Emilie, recognising the name and occupation, glared furiously at him "Babette does not want to see you" she sneered.

Cogsworth looked at her "Please, just let us talk to her" he said.

Emilie nodded "Oui, you may speak to her…" when Lumiere tried to pass her, she stopped him "However, _you_ cannot. Only monsieur Cogsworth may speak with her"

The butler interjected "I think it would be good if you let him in as well. I'll…make sure he doesn't do anything."

The showgirl sighed "Very well" she said, and stepped aside, allowing them in.

Once inside, Lumiere went in search for her "Babette!" he called.

She replied from inside one of the rooms "Go away Lumiere."

He smiled, and entered the room "Oh cheri, I have been so worried about you" he said.

She turned to him sharply, a look of anger in her eyes "Really?! Because I heard that you were going to leave me, just because I am pregnant!" she snapped.

Lumiere inquired "Who would give you an idea like that?" But then, he realised the only person who would have done that "_Mia_" he thought.

Babette crossed her arms "I am not coming home, Lumiere" she said stubbornly. He was about to reply when she demanded, anger in her eyes "How _could _you!? You were thinking of _leaving_ me!"

"No, cher, no. Mia tricked you, I never thought anything of the sort" answered the Frenchman.

The maid scoffed "There we have it, another lie" she said.

Lumiere shook his head "No. I have never, and will never, lie to you" he replied simply.

She rolled her eyes "I find that hard to believe" she remarked.

The maitre'd took her hand gently "Cheri, look at me. Je t'aime, and I always have, and I always will. The last thing I want to do, is hurt you" he responded.

Babette glared at him furiously "Let go of me, or I swear to God, I will scream" she threatened. She snorted "Do you really think that, after all you have done, that I will just come home with you, and run back into your arms!?" she questioned in disbelief.

Lumiere explained, trying to calm her down "It was not me, cheri, it was Mia. She staged everything to make it look like I was cheating on her with you."

The maid clenched her hands into fists from anger "I can never believe you" she sneered.

"Cheri…" started Lumiere gently.

"No! I told you _never_ to call me that again! I mean _never_!" she practically screamed. Then, Babette slapped him hard and quickly, on the cheek "Get out" she hissed.

Lumiere rubbed his sore cheek "Will you ever stop hitting me?" he asked, with a barely-there smile, in an attempt to calm her with humour.

"No" she responded shortly.

The maitre'd took her by the arm, very gently, and began "Babette, s'il vous pliat, you have to listen to me…"

She struggled in his grasp "No" she replied again.

Lumiere looked into her eyes, all remaining traces of humour gone "Babette Roux, you mean the world to me. I…" he choked on a sob "I will not force you to come home, but, s'il vous plait, at least consider it. I would never be able to live if you were not with me. You are the fibre of my very being, Babette, and I want only the best for you" he said.

She freed herself calmly and easily, from his loose grasp, and refused to meet his eyes as she answered "Leave here, Lumiere. I…I am so sorry."

He nodded "Very well cheri, very well" he answered.

That night, Lumiere (who had convinced Emilie to let him and Cogsowrth stay the night), awoke from his sleep. He had to settle things with Babette, he had to see if she was coming home.

The Frenchman crept carefully out of bed, and made his way to her room, which was, fortunately, directly opposite. Once inside, he could not help but smile at the sight before him. Babette lay peacefully in her bed, with several blankets delicately draped over her. Obviously, his attempts to be quiet were in vain, for she soon awoke and whispered, rubbing her eyes "Lumiere?"

The maitre'd nodded "Oui" he whispered back.

Tone still hushed, Babette inquired "W-What are you doing in here?"

He quickly came to her bedside, kneeling down next to her and meeting her eyes "Cheri, je'taime, I do not want to lose you. I normally do not repeat myself, but I just have to say again how much I adore you with my entire heart and soul. I never planned on leaving you, and I never did. Nor did I give your necklace to Mia, she simply made it look like that…" he took her hands in his, and she sat up "Babette, you are the woman of my dreams, and I cannot image life with you. I want to commit to you completely, and to grow old with you" he confessed.

Babette smiled, and embraced him tightly, tears flowing from her eyes "Lumiere, I am so sorry" she whispered.

Then, she did something that caught even the Frenchman off guard.

She kissed him.


	10. Chapter 10

**Thank you batbinmyheart91, for the review! **

**I am so terribly sorry for posting Chapter 9 twice, but I must have accidently selected the wrong chapter. Anyway, this is the real chapter 10. **

**In this chapter, we will see Mia's slightly dark side, just as a little spoiler. **

….

_Chapter 10 _

Lumiere melted into the kiss, and gently stroked her cheek with one of his soft hands, while keeping the kiss light and passionate. He broke it softly and slowly "Babette, what was that for?" he whispered.

"It was to say how sorry I am…for everything. I should never have overreacted so much" she replied. Then, the maid began to cry again, and buried her head in the crook of his neck, still sobbing slightly "I was so…stupid" she muttered.

The Frenchman shook his head "Oh ma cheri…" he ran his fingers lightly through her hair "You were not stupid. Mia put those thoughts into your head, and your fears took control of you. Vous n'étiez pas bété du tout" he answered.

Babette smiled, bringing her head back from the crook of his neck "Merci, mon amour" she replied quietly, before suddenly bursting into tears again.

Lumiere chuckled "More tears? I knew that pregnant women could be emotion, but this, mon Dieu, it is ridiculous! I do not believe I will have enough kisses to sooth it!" he teased playfully.

"Even for me?" inquired Babette, batting her eyes at him. She laughed, accepting another kiss from him, a sweet, innocent peck on her lips.

All of a sudden, Emilie's voice came from behind her "Well, mon ami, I see that you two have gotten over your little spat" she said, clearly slightly annoyed.

The maid turned to her and, standing from her bed, replied "Emilie, I overreacted when I ran away and came here. It is no offense to you, but I would like to go home with Lumiere."

Her friend looked him up and down, seemingly assessing him. She had seen lust in the eyes of many men before, but, in Lumiere, she found no trace of such a thing. He was charming, and polite and gentlemanly, but there was one thing she still needed to ask "Do you love her? Promise to take care of her?"

"Until the day I die, mademoiselle" replied the Frenchman honestly.

Emilie turned to Babette "Do you love him, ma petite? Truly?" she inquired.

Her friend nodded "Oui. I most certainly do" she answered.

The showgirl clasped her hands together "Very well then. I cannot keep a loving couple apart, so I will call for a carriage to send you two, as well as monsieur Cogsworth, home" she said.

As soon as she stepped through the castle doors, Babette was greeted by many hugs, questions, and words of relief. She quickly explained her story, and one of the maids said spitefully "I knew Mia was trouble."

The woman herself hid nearby, not daring to reveal herself now that everyone knew her true motives. She would have to keep out of anyone's direct interaction, and it was all Babette's fault. She clenched her fists "_That's it! I said that I would get Babette out of the picture one way or another, and it looks like I am going to make a direct attack_" she thought.

That night, Babette slept peacefully in her bed, happy to be home. All of a sudden, her sixth sense alerted her to wake up, which she did immediately. Snapping her eyes open, the maid looked around "Who is there?" she whispered, but then she got her answer.

Mia had just entered the room, her hands behind her back "Hello Babette, did I wake you?" she asked sweetly. She approached the bed, lighting the candelabrum on the side table, and smiled at the woman "I truly am sorry I have to do this…but you just wouldn't stay away" she said.

At first, this made no sense to the maid. But then, she noticed the silvery glint of metal, clasped in Mia's hand…a knife. Babette moved quickly to the side, avoiding the knife just as Mia struck with the blade, like a cobra, and sliced the mattress. The blonde growled in frustration "Just hold still…."she smiled meanacingly "It will be over in a minute. You won't feel anything" she said.

The maid shot up from the bed "_She must be mad_" she thought. However, when their eyes met, she saw that it was not that at all. The look in Mia's eyes was far from that of a crazy woman, but it was the look of a woman who was determined to get what she wanted, to the point of killing.

Mia threw the knife towards her at an alarming speed, and Babette managed to move out of the way again, before the blade was stabbed into the back wall, getting slightly stuck in the wood. Thinking quickly, she grabbed the knife from the wall, putting it in the hip pocket of her nightdress, so that her enemy would not be able to obtain it so easily.

Mia growled in frustration "Give it back!" she demanded, sounding a lot like a small child who was being picked on.

"Not a chance" replied the maid, not taking her eyes from her.

The blonde lunged at her, quickly wrapping her small hands around the young woman's throat. Babette gasped, taking short, shallow breaths to control her breathing. She did not speak, because it would have wasted precious air.

Then, she punched Mia in the stomach as hard as possible. This caused the grip on her neck to disappear, and Babette breathed out quickly and heavily from the shock.

However, Mia had grabbed the blade that had been in her pocket. She held it at the maid's throat "Scream, and I won't hesitate to stab you with this" she snarled.

All of a sudden, Adam burst into the room, and literally threw her away. The knife fell to the ground, the metal clattering on the wooden floors, and Mia stumbled backwards, stunned. Lumiere entered seconds later, and his focus immediately went to Babette "Oh mon amour…" he ran over and embraced her "Are you alright? I was so worried about you. When I saw Mia grab the knife and go to your room, I alerted the prince and princess immediately. I knew I would be putting us both in danger if I came to help you alone" he said.

Then, his attention turned to Mia, and his expression changed completely. It was one of indescribable disgust and hatred, and the low, threatening tone of his voice terrified everyone in the room, even himself "You, however, I was not concerned about in the least…" he walked closer " I swear to God, that I want nothing more than to see you imprisoned for your crimes…" he gripped her arm, roughly pulling her closer "You have set your web of lies so that a woman who is in every way innocent, loses hope to love and trust, and, worst of all, your nearly committed murder against her. For that, Mia, I just…I do not know what to say to that" he sneered venomously. Then, he let her go, and, after giving her one last hateful glare, returned to Babette's side. His mood returned to one of affection, worry and adoration as soon as he laid eyes on her, having finished with his anger.

Silence followed shortly after. All of a sudden, Cogsworth ran into the room, having heard the commotion. Seeing Babette clearly shaken up (close to the point of literally shaking), Lumiere by her side and occasionally glaring furiously at Mia, a knife on the floor, and Mia backed up against a wall, he commented "It seems I missed quite a lot."


	11. Chapter 11

**A special thank you to batbinmyheart91, for the review. **

**Now, on with the story! **

…

_Chapter 11_

It was four months later when Adam's uncle Richard left the castle…with Mia accompanying him. He glanced at the blonde opposite him, whose hands were bound behind her back "Not to worry Adam, Mia will be imprisoned for her crimes immediately" he said.

She looked at him, eyes wide in alarm "S-Sir! Surely you don't b-believe what they told you!" she stuttered hopefully.

Her Master held up a hand "Silence, girl! At first, I did not believe the servant…" he looked at Lumiere, and then back to her "But, once I heard very similar accounts from both the maid and my nephew, I had no choice but to believe them" he answered.

"Where's Babette?" inquired Mia with a hint of a smile.

Lumiere answered sternly, glaring in fury at the young woman "She is in her room, resting. All the trauma of her attempted murder was not good for her." He did not tell her the rest of it. The part about her trauma possibly being bad for the baby, or the part about her having nightmares for the past fortnight.

Once Richard left with Mia, Lumiere immediately went to Babette, to tell her the good news. Upon entering her room, he saw the maid draped over her bed in a peaceful sleep, with a slightly swelling midsection. The maitre'd crept over, and leant over her "Arise me cheri, I bring good news" he whispered as he gently stroked her hair.

Slowly, her eyes fluttered open "What reason do you have for awakening me?" she asked slightly angrily, turning to face him.

He sighed "_Her moods are getting more and more unpredictable_" he thought. He kneeled on the ground so he was level with her eyes "Mia has left with Richard…"

"I-Is she being locked a-away?" asked Babette, with a wavering voice and eyes that reflected those of a young child that had just woken up from a graphic nightmare. Her attempted murder had affected her greatly. Although Mia had been locked up in the prince's dungeon ever since the attack and until Richard had decided to leave, the maid had never felt safe with her still in the castle.

Lumiere nodded "Oui, ma douce un, there is no need to fear now. She is gone, and she will never come back" he said softly.

The young woman smiled, and kissed him passionately on the lips, wrapping her arms around his neck. Babette had confessed (or rather, re-confessed) her love for the tall Frenchman a two months before, and they had returned to how their relationship was before Mia's arrival. But, with much more trust involved.

Lumiere grinned when she broke the kiss. He gathered her hands in his own, and gave a sweet, gentlemanly kiss on the knuckles "Ma belle" he murmured against her skin.

The chambermaid giggled "I do not look very beautiful at the moment. Je suis terrible!" she replied.

He shook his head "No, no mon amour. You look absolutely radiant" her suitor responded. The maitre'd sighed "Mon ange, I have something to ask you" he said.

"Oui?" inquired Babette curiously.

Lumiere smiled "I...have been neglecting to as you this for some time now, but, I will ask you now. Babette Roux…" he swallowed hard nervously, and took out a small box from his pocket, and took the golden ring out of it "Veux-tu m'epouser?" he asked.

She gasped, and her mind swirled "_He…he just proposed to me!_" she thought.

Her suitor, while he waited for an answer, found his own mind coming up with doubts "_Will she accept me? Am I being to forward?_" he wondered.

But then, all of his worries were put to rest when Babette once again flung her arms around him and kissed him "Oui! Oh Lumiere, of course!" she answered.

Babette was in her room a few weeks later, her eyes shut, and biting her lip in nervousness. It was the day of the wedding, and ten thousand emotions ran through her "_Will Lumiere be on time? Will everything go smoothly? Will he back out at the last minute and not wed me?_" she wondered.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Mrs. Potts's voice "You can open your eyes now, dear" she said. The chambermaid snapped her eyes open, and looked upon the simple, but beautiful, white wedding dress. It was floor length, with off-the-shoulder sleeves (like Belle's golden ballgown), and had several silver beads on it. It was a slightly tight fit, because of the young woman's swelling stomach, but it was fortunately not tight to the point of being uncomfortable.

Babette laughed slightly when she saw her reflection in the mirror "I look like a child's doll" she commented. Her hair was tied elaborately into a design which she could not quite identify, and it had many beautiful pins, as well as rose tucked into a few strands of hair.

Instantly, the chambermaid wrinkled her nose at the rose, and took it out of her hair, placing it into the bouquet. Then, she proceeded to untie her hair, letting it fall out of the design.

"What on earth are you doing!?" asked Mrs. Potts, her tone a mixture of surprise and horror.

"I want to be myself at my wedding, not some prim, proper and pretty little faker" she replied, while redoing her hair in a much simpler, but still beautiful, fashion.

Suddenly, a familiar female voice came from behind her "That it just like you mon ami. You never let people dress you up, even for your wedding" she said.

The young woman gasped in delight, turning around "Emilie! You made it!" she exclaimed, hugging her tightly.

"Of course I did. I was not going to miss the wedding of mon meilleur ami" replied her friend, hugging her back.

Mrs. Potts clasped her hands together "Oh, this is lovely. But, we need to finish getting you ready, dear. The wedding will be soon, and we don't want you being late" she said.

Meanwhile, Lumiere was pacing in the gardens, where the wedding was being held. He was dressed immaculately in the best suit he could find, and was awaiting Babette's arrival. The Frenchman ran a hand through his hair "_I hope everything is going alright_" he thought.

Cogsworth, who was watching his friend worry, said, attempting to comfort him "She's probably just being held up by more congratulations."

The tall Frenchman sighed and smiled "You are probably right mon ami. I have nothing to worry about" he answered.

All of a sudden, Belle called cheerily "She's here!" Lumiered hurried to the alter, and everyone else (minus the priest, of course) took their seats.

Babette entered with all the grace of a royal, although she was slightly terrified inside. However, all of her doubts vanished as soon as she gazed at her fiancée, soon to be husband, who smiled back, looking equally as nervous.

It seemed like hours before she finally stood beside, with the priest in between them. He looked down at his book, and spoke in a monotone, clearly board "Love is the greatest of gifts, and we gather here today to celebrate the love and joining of Lumiere François and Babette Roux. Do you both wish to love each other in all eternity, and for your love itself to be internal…and not even in death do you part? Do you wish to have each other, care for each other, in sickness and in heath now and forever?"

The couple replied I unison "I do, with all my heart."

Then, he asked the one question that they had been dreading "Does anyone…?"

They knew that the both of them had had their share of suitors before finally settling on each other. After the situation with Mia, the couple had agreed that they were not going to take any chances. So, before the preist could even finish his sentence, Babette whispered "With all respect Father, could you skip that part, s'il vous plait?"

He nodded, but not before giving them both looks of confusion. Then, he took a breath and continued "Very well. With the power vested in me by the gracious God, I now pronounce you man and wife…" he nodded to Lumiere "You may kiss the bride."

Not needing to be told twice, the maitre'd swopped her up in his arms and kissed her with all the love and passion that he could muster. Babette returned it with equal feelings, draping her arms around his neck.

After the party, Babette was walking up to her room to escape the crowds. She had a throbbing headache, as well as a sick feeling, as well as high flying emotions. The maid groaned and looked at her swelling stomach, placing a hand on it "Now that I am wed, the next trouble will be having you…" she sighed "And it will certainly be _very_ hard" she said.

…

**NOTE: this is not the last chapter you guys! Please read/wait for the last one, which will be coming very soon, maybe even later today if I'm lucky with inspiration. **

**See you soon, **

**Babetteisawesome. **


	12. Chapter 12

**Thanks so much batbinmyheart91, for reviewing! This is the last chapter guys!**

**P.S: I am absolutely clueless when it comes to anything to do with pregnancy, so forgive me if some of the stuff here is wrong. **

…

_Chapter 12_

For most men, spending their honeymoon in the same fashion as Lumiere did, would have been unthinkable. However, looking after his now wife (with her ever-changing moods), was still spending time with her, which was all that the Frenchman wanted.

The maitre'd entered their room, carrying a silver tray with the food she had asked for. He did not even say anything, and as soon as he shut the door, the servant had to narrowly avoid being hit in the head by a book. Lumiere grinned "I may be a little late with your food cheri, but it is no reason to throw things" he teased light-heartedly.

Babette crossed her arms and glared at him slightly "It was not meant for you! I just got board reading!" she snapped.

He nodded, set the tray on the side table, and then came to sit beside her. The tall man played with a few tresses of her hair, and kissed her cheek softly "I brought everything you asked. Anything I could find that had apples in it" he said.

His wife shoved him off of her "Do not touch me. That is how I _got_ into this situation" she snarled.

"Is there anything else I may do for you? Anything at all?" inquired her husband.

She looked at him, her face now apologetic and slightly sad "Carry this baby for me?" she suggested, attempting a joke.

The Frenchman chuckled "If I could, mon ange, you know I would" he replied.

"Seriously however…could you get me some more food?" asked Babette.

Lumiere sighed "More food? Cheri, you have not even eaten the food I gave you" he said.

The maid growled angrily "Lumiere. Is it just too much trouble to take care of me? Oui, I know that I have not eaten the food that you gave me, but that is because it is not enough."

He held up his hands in defense "Alright, alright. What would you like this time?" he questioned.

She calmed down immediately "Could you get me some pastries, s'il vous pliat? Oh, and some pickles. Not much of either though, just a little" she answered.

Lumiere stood, and bowed low, playfully teasing her "Of course Mistress" he joked. This earned him a smile, and then she laughed. The maitre'd grinned once more "There it is, that beautiful smile" he said.

Once he had left the room, Babette sighed and stroked her swelling stomach "It is alright, ma petite. Your pere may be a little childish and forgetful sometimes, but he is a good man" she murmured.

All of a sudden, a sharp pain shot from her midsection "Ah! Mon Dieu!" she cried. Then, after calming down, she smiled "_The…the baby just kicked me_" she thought. She stroked her stomach and, looking down at it, cooed "That hurt a little, cheri. But, it is nice to know that you are alright."

Lumiere came back in, carrying more food, and set it down next to the rest. Once again coming to sit beside his wife, he inquired in concern "Are you okay ma cheri? I heard you yell."

"The baby…it kicked me Lumiere" replied Babette with a smile.

He gasped "Mon Dieu…" he softly touched her swelling midsection "It is amazing" he whispered.

"Oui, mon cheri" responded his wife. Then, a thought occurred to her, and her smile vanished "Lumiere. I nearly forgot about something…the spell. W-What if the baby is affected?" she whispered in fear.

Her husband replied "I was thinking the same thing…" he reached into his pocket "Until I found this in the kitchens, near the open window that I most certainly closed seconds before." He produced a piece of paper, unfolded it, and it read:

_To dear Babette and Lumiere, _

_I am very pleased to see that my coming to your castle was not in vain. Prince Adam has certainly learned his lesson, and I have watched the two of you progress in your relationship as a result. Do not worry about the babies, Babette, they will be fine. My spell will not affect them. _

_It has made me very happy to see the both of you happy. You have my blessing for the future, and remember that I will always be watching over everyone in that castle, even your children. _

_Sincerely, _

_You Know Who. _

The couple stared at each other "The enchantress" they whispered in unison.

All of a sudden, Lumiere saw something over his wife's shoulder "Babette…" he stood up "Look" he whispered. They hurried to the window, and squinted into the darkness. Sure enough, a certain old beggar woman with a haggard appearance, was hurrying away from the castle.

Babette quickly opened the window and called out to her "Merci beaucoup Madam!"

The old woman turned, and smiled mysteriously. She spoke, but her voice was not that of an haggard old woman, but a powerful enchantress "You're very welcome. Remember what I said" she replied, and continued to hurry away into the night.

All of a sudden, Babette groaned louder then she had ever before, and almost fell over from pain. Her knees buckled, and she clutched her stomach tightly "Lumiere…it is happening…get help" she whispered weakly, while taking deep breaths.

He hurried to the prince, who contacted the nearest midwife. Unfortunately, she was unavailable, so Mrs. Potts was assigned the duty.

The bedroom was soon shut off to anyone but the two women. Lumiere could hear her crying and her screams of anguish, and felt utterly helpless "_She is in so much pain, and I cannot help her_" he thought.

Cogsworth, who was nearby, said awkwardly "I…think you will make a great father, Lumiere."

The Frenchman grinned "Really, mon ami" he said.

He snorted "Well… of course. You…you're nothing but a big child yourself, and children love that" he replied.

It seemed like hours before Mrs. Potts finally emerged from the room "She's ready to have visitors, but not many. She wants to see Lumiere first" she said.

The tall man raced into the room, nearly knocking Cogsworth over in the process, and smiled at the sight that met him. Babette was in the bed, covered by a blanket, and holding two small bundles in her arms. Lumiere smiled softly, walking over, and stood beside his wife. He looked down at his two children…his son and daughter. The girl was slim and pale skinned, and had long reddish hair like her father, as well as his grey-blue eyes. The boy was the same physical build as his sister, expect he had long brown hair (his hair was the same colour as that of his mother), and his father's grey-blue eyes.

Babette whispered, breaking his trance "What should we name them?"

Lumiere thought for a minute, and then said, looking at his children "For the young girl, Clarisse, after your maman…"

"For the young man, Edward, after your brother" offered Babette, and her husband nodded. Then, she smiled and joked "A man who has put up with you for so many years deserves some credit."

Silence fell between them, both enjoying simply being there with their family. Lumiere kissed his wife's forehead gently, and murmured "Je t'aime, ma cheri."

She whispered back, smiling "Je t'adore, mon cheri."

…

**Well, that was the end of 'The Roaring Flame'. I'm not going to cry…I'm not going to cry…**

**I have decided not to do a sequel at the moment, because I can't really think of anything. **

**NOTE: Babette IS NOT a damsel in distress type of girl, but I think I may have accidently made her look that way in this story. I'm so sorry if I did, because I think that she is the independent woman who is perfectly capable of fending for herself. In other words, I think she is like how she is portrayed in 'The Lumiere & Babette Trilogy' and the 'Romance' series by LumiBabsFan. That is why she is my favourite BATB character. **

**I'm sorry if I made her too much like Bella Swan (to all you Twilight fans, I'm sorry, but she really is a damsel in distress). Please review on what you think the character portrayal was like…do you think she was a "Bella" or a "LumibabsFan"? **

** I would really like to know, so that I don't worry anymore. PLEASE review for this, guys, it would mean a lot! **


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